Basic Project Management

Course Description

This course covers the basics of project management including Requirements, Work Breakdown Structures, Life Cycles Management Concepts, Risk Management, and General Project Management Theory.

Students will also learn how to use project management techniques to plan, organize, control, document, and close out their projects successfully and with minimum risk. This course will also focus on conceptual underpinnings students must know in order to use any project management software application effectively.

Prerequisites

This course does not have formal prerequisites.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Define project components to the task level in preparation for developing the Work Breakdown
• Structure
• Define requirements in terms of performance-based outcomes, where appropriate
• Identify the role of an estimate in Total Ownership Cost (TOC)/Life Cycle Cost process
• Describe the risk and opportunity management process
• Explain the systems life cycle management concepts used for information systems
• Explain the need for a comprehensive Test and Evaluation (T&E) phase
• Identify the need to implement alternative logistics support

Course Content

Lesson 1: The Project Management Process
High Level Definition
Intended Effects
Key Roles & Responsibilities
Stages of Progression
Structuring the Manager’s Activities

Lesson 2: Work Breakdown Structures
Task Identification
Structuring the Decomposition
Determining an Appropriate Level of Detail

Lesson 3: Project Plan Components
Activity Duration Estimates
Work Breakdown Schedule
Network Diagram
Project Baseline
Resource Calendars
Resource Requirements
Activities Parameters
Project Integrated Master Plan
Entry to MS Project

Lesson 4: Requirements Definition
Gathering Information
Development
Estimating Techniques/Tools for Developing Rough Cost Estimates
Associated Risk Levels for all Cost Estimates.
Need for Assumptions and Why They Should be Valid.
Technical Reviews
Description
Performance Orientation

Lesson 5: Total Cost of Ownership
Defining
Quantifying
Estimation
Role in Life Cycle Costing

Lesson 6: Risk Management
Overview
Process
Risk Identification Techniques
Risk Valuation
Risk Ranking
Selection of Risks for Active Management
Contingency Planning

Lesson 7: Systems Life Cycle Management Concepts
IT Specific Models
Application to Information Systems